Apparatus for removing sheets from alpha stack



Dec. L 1931., A. WINKLER ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SHEETS FROM A STACK Filed Jan. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l @a 9 a ed Q w n M# n l Y a M H m m u l 7 i.. 0/ Q o0 um m M m 7 -3 mW/wf Dec, l, 193i. A. wlNKLER ET Al. 1,834,568

. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SHEETS FROM A STACK Filed Jan. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTU/QNEV Fatented Dec. 1, 1931 ALFRED WINKLER AND MAX DNNEBIER, OF NEUWIED-ON-THE-BHINE, GERMANY APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SHE-ETS FROM A STACK Application led January 22, 1931, Serial No. 510,461, and in Germany May S, 1927.

rlhis invention relates to apparatus for feeding sheets froma stack into an envelope or the like forming machine, and particularly to a feeding apparatus wherein the sheets 5 are fed into the machine with an initial fold, the principal object of the invention being to lprovide for the feed of fine delicate sheets of rough or colored paper without defacing or otherwise marring the appearance of the .0 nished product.

t is also an object of the invention to provide for the positive feed of very thin smooth papers.

In accomplishing these and other objects 35 of our invention, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewof feeding 20 apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention, the stack plate being shown in sect-ion to better illustrate the rubber belts for assisting the feed rollers in withdrawing sheets from a stack.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the stack plate removed to better illustrate the feeding apparatus, the stack stops carried by the stack plate being shown fragmentarily and engaging a stack of sheets.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of feeding apparatus partly in section, the actuating mechanism being removed for better illustration of the feed belts. l

Fig. 4 is a front view of a stack of sheets and a feed belt, particularly illustrating the relation of the sheets and belt.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 and 2 designate side frames of an envelope machine supporting a substantially horizontal stack plate 3 having an opening 4 therein which is suitably shaped for receiving a feeding apparatus later described.

Rotatably mounted in the side frames, substantially centrally of the opening, is a pair of gathering feed rollers 5 and 6, preferably rubber covered and positioned at an elevation with relation to the stack table so that the upper surfaces of the rollers contact the lower face of the bottom sheet in a stack of sheets 15 will rotate only one-fourth of a revolution supported by the plate, as best shownin Figs. 1 and 2. A

- Fixed on the shaft 7 of the roller 6 is a ratchet wheel 8 and loosely mounted on the shaft adjacent thereto is a spur gear wheel 9 which carries a bar 10 for pivotally mounting pawls 11 and 12 adapted to engage the teeth 13 of the ratchet wheel, so that when the gear 9 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, the pawls engaging` against the teeth of the ratchet wheel, cause rotation of the feed roller 6. The ratchet and pawl mechanism thus constitutes an overrunning clutch connection between the main driving means and the roller 6, providing for free wheeling of the roller as presently described.

Rotatably mounted on a stubI shaft 14 extending from the side frame .2, is a spur gear wheel 15 meshing with the gear wheel 9 and fixed to the side of the wheel 15 is the slotted member 16 of a Geneva gear mechanism generally designated 17. The member 16 preferably comprises a substantially rectangular shaped block having radial slots 18 extending toward the shaft14 and the sides .of the 75 member are vconcaved complementary to the curvature-of the other Geneva member 19 which is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 2() carried by the side frame below the shaft 14.

Preferably integral with the member 19 are side flanges 21 for engaging the sides of the member 15 and for carrying a cross pin 22 adapted to successively engage in the slots 18 to rotate the member 16 through an arc of substantially 90 degrees.

Fixed to the hub 23 of the member 19 is a sprocket wheel 24 and operating thereover is a chain belt 25 that is actuated by a sprocket 26 fixed on a drive shaft 27 of the envelope 9 making machine. Thus it is apparent that the member 19 will rotate continuously with the shaft 27, but thel member 16 and the gear on each revolution of the member 19, and the gear 15 cooperating with the gear 9 will move the pawls 11 and 12 through a corresponding arc so that the feed roller 6 is rotated intermittently.

However, the feed roller is free to rotate tuated from its mating roller 6 through interl 'meshing gears 28 and 29 fixed to roller shafts as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Also rotatably mounted in the side frames and extending parallel with the feed rollers and at the opposite-sides thereof, are shafts 30 and 31 carrying rollers 32 and 33 which are actuated from the feed rollers through idler gears 34 and 34', meshing with the gears 28 aud 29 on the feed rollers and gears 35 and 36 on the rollers 30 and 31 respectively, so that the last named rollers are actuated only during movement of the feed rollers.

Pivotally mounted on the shafts 30 and 31 and extending laterally therefrom at opposite ends of the rollers 32 and 33 are lever arms 37--38 and 39-40, respectively, and fixed in bearings at the free ends of the arms and movable through arcuate slots in the side frames 1 and 2 are shafts 41 and 42 carrying rollers 43 and 44.

Movable over the rollers 32 and 43 and over the rollers 33 andf44 are endless belts 45 and 46 respectively, for moving sheets toward the feed rollers when they are operated by their actuating mechanism.

1n order to prevent the belts from engaging a succeeding sheet after the lowest sheet has passed therefrom, we provide for moving the outer ends of the belts to and from contact with the stack by a cam mechanism now described.

Fixed to the free ends of the arms 37 and 40 are depending arms 47 carrying rollers 48 for engaging the peripheries of cams 49 which are fixed on shafts 50 journaled in the side frames of the envelope machine and adapted to rotate in time with the actuating mechanism thereof.

The cams 49 are provided with high lobes 51 so that upon each revolution thereof, the feed belts will be raised into contact with the stack to assist in the withdrawal of sheets as later described.

52 designates a stack of sheets supported on the stack table and positioned with relation to the feed rollers 5 and 6 so that the line of contact of the feed rollers is in alignment with the fold to be formed on the sheets.

Stop members 53 are supported by the stack plate at the four corners ofthe stack and similar stop members 54 and 55 are mounted to engage the sides of the stack in alignment with the line of contact of the feed rollers, the last named stop members being provided with extensions 56 which depend as close as possible to the periphery of the feed rollers so that the side edges of the sheets are guided thereby while the sheet is started between the feed rollers.

The stop members are supported by lateral arms 57 adjustably fixed to blocks 58 supported on the stack'platq so that they may be adjusted to sheets of various dimensions and shapes. v

In operating a feed apparatus constructed and assembled as described, a stack of sheets is positioned on the stack plate so that the line of the initial fold to be formed is positioned in alignment with the Contact of the feed rollers. The stops are then adjusted to the sides of the stack and the machine started. On each revolution of the member 19 of the Geneva gearing, the complementary member 16 is advanced one-fourth of a revolution, so that the gear 15 actuates the gear 9 to move the pawls a corresponding distance depending on the ratio of the gears.

The pawls acting in the ratchet wheel rotate the feed rollers toward each other and friction of the lower sheet on the feed rollers causes the center of the sheet to bulge downwardly therebetween to be advanced to the forwarding mechanism of the envelope machine, such as the rollers 59 and 60 (Fig. 1).

Rotation of the feed rollersalso actuates the feed belts to assist in drawing the ends of the sheets from the stack. During this interval the cams 49 are in position so that the free ends of the belts are lifted to engage and slightly raise the outer ends of the stack.

The machine is so timed that when a sheet has been engaged by the forwarding rollers, the pin 22 has moved out of its slot in the Geneva gearing and the rollers 5 and 6 are free to rotate independently of the gearing while the rollers 59 and 60 are completing the withdrawal from the stack.

The cams 49 are also timed so that as soon as the forwarding rollers engage the sheets, the belts are moved downwardly away from the stack to 'prevent engagement with the succeeding sheet; otherwise, the belts might cause the removal of more than one sheet at a time resulting in waste and interfering with the operation of the machine. However, by pivotally mounting the belts, and by timing their pivotal movement, only one sheet is withdrawn at a time.

With the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 the belts are arranged to operate directly over the feed rollers and the supporting arms 37--38 and 39-40 are pivotally mounted on the feed roller shafts. Otherwise the operation is similar to that shown in the preferred form.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the stop members 53 are provided at their lower ends with horizontally positioned rollers 6'3 to support the four corners of the stack above the plane of the table to cup the stack and effect a stiifening thereof which tends to prevent sagging of the lowest sheets between the feed rollers; otherwise, the positioning of the stack is identical to that in the preferred form.

It is apparent that we have provided a machine wherein the feed rollers are in constant dontact with the stack and do not impact therea ainst to mar or to deface sheets in the with rawal operation. The belts also help to feed the sheets and since they are formed `of rubber or the like, they tend to frictionally engage the sheets to provide positive engagement therewith which is particularly desirable in machines operating on extremely thin, smooth papers.

It is also apparent that due to the free wheeling of the feed rolls the feed apparatus is adapted to sheets of extremely large sizes, that is, sheets which are longer in dimension than the circumference of the feed rollers.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

l. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, roller driving mechanism, feed rollers in constant contact with the stack, having free wheeling drive connection with said driving mechanism, and forwarding rollers arranged to receive the sheets from the feed rollers.

2. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, roller driving mechanism, feed rollers in constant contact with the stack, having free wheeling drive connection with said driving mechanism, forwarding rollers arranged toreceive the sheets from the feed rollers movable to and from the stack for aiding the feed rollers in withdrawing the sheets.

. 3. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, roller driving mechanism, gathering feed rollers contacting the stack having free wheeling drive connection with said driving mechanism,'forwarding feed rollers arranged to receive the sheets from the gathering feed rollers, means for rendering the gathering feed roller actuating means ineffective when the forwarding rollers engage the sheets, means movable to and from the stack for aiding the feed rollers in withdrawing the sheets, and means for actuating said last named means in synchronism with the feed rollers.

4. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, feed rollersl contacting with the stack, belt rollers mounted adjacent the feed rollers, endless belts operable over said belt rollers, rollers for supporting the opposite ends of the belts, means for moving said last named rollers to move the outer ends of the belts to and from the stack, and means for operating the belts upon rotation of the feed rollers.

` 5. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, intermittent-ly operating roller driving mechanism, feed rollers contacting the stack having free wheeling drive connection with said driving mechanism, belt rollers mounted adjacent the feed rollers, endless belts operable over said rollers, vertically movable belt rollers for supporting the opposite ends of the belts, means for moving last named rollers to shift the outer ends of the belts to and from the stack, means for operating the belts upon rotation of the feed rollers.

6. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting'a stack of sheets, free rolling feed rollers contacting the stack, means for intermittently operating the feed rollers, complementary feeding mechanism operable in synchronism with the feed rollers for removing sheets from the stack, and forwarding rollers for receiving and advancing the sheets removed from the stack.

`7. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets including gathering feed rollers, endless belts associated with the feed rollers, forwarding feed rollers for receiving and Aadvancing the sheets withdrawn from the stack by the gathering feed rollers, means operative for actuating the gathering feed' rollers and the belts to withdraw sheets from the bottom of the stack and inoperative to I advance the gathering rollers while the forwarding rollers are advancing the sheets, forwarding feed rollers for receiving and advancing the sheets withdrawn from the stack by the gatherin feed rollers.

'8. In a sheet fee ing apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets including gathering feed rollers, vforwarding rollers for receiving advancing sheets drawn from the stack, endless belts on opposite sides of the gathering feed rollers, means operative for actuating the gathering feed rollers and the belts and inoperative for actuating said gathering feed rollers when the forwarding rollers are advanc. ing the sheets, means operating .in synchronism with the feed rollers for alternately raising and lowering the endless belts for facilitating withdrawal of sheets from the bottom of the stack.

9. In av sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, a feed roller and a feed belt cooperative to deliver sheets singly from the stack, means for actuating the feed roller and the belt,and means receiving sheets from the feed roller to further advance the sheets.

10. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting .a stack of sheets,"a feed roller and a feed belt cooperative to deliver sheets singly from the stack, means intermittently actuating the feed roller and the belt, and means receiving sheets from the feed roller to further advance the sheets.

11. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supportinga stack of sheets, a feed roller in contact with the stack, a feed belt associated with the feed roller, forwarding means for engaging the sheets fed from the stack, and free wheeling means for the feed roller operable when the sheets are engaged by the forwarding means.

12. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets, means for withdrawlng sheets from the stack, an actuator, sheet-forwarding means for engaging the sheets withdrawn from the stack and overrunning clutch connection between the actuator and the withdrawing means operable to permit free movement of the sheet withdrawing means when the sheets have been engaged by the forwarding means.

13. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a p stack of sheets, means for withdrawing sheets from the stack, an intermittently operable actuator, sheet-forwarding means for engaging the sheets withdrawn from the stack, and overrunning clutch connection between the actuator and the withdrawing means operable to permit free movement of the forwarding means when the sheets have been engaged by the forwarding means.

14. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets,ifeed rollers in contact with the stack, means for effecting a stiifening of the stackv over the feed rollers, means for intermittently operating the feed rollers` complementary feeding mechanism operable in synchronism with the feed rollers for removing sheets from the stack. and forwarding feed rollers for advancing the sheets removed from the stack.

15. In'a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets,I stop members for positioning the stack, feed rollers in contact with the stack, means on the stop members for effecting stiiening of the stack over the feed rollers, means for-intermittently operating the feed rollers and means associated with the feed rollers and movable to and from the stack for aiding in withdrawal of sheets from the stack by the feed rollers.

16. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets. stop members for positioning the stack, feed rollers in contact with the stack, rollers on the stop members for effecting stiening of the stack over the feed rollers, and means for actuating the rollers to withdraw sheets from the stack. Y

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

ALFRED WINKLER. MAX DNNEBIER. 

